Well, the first month of PA school is almost over! 26 more months to go! :)
We have had a slow start to the didactic year which is a good format I believe. I can't even imagine how most of my classmates had to deal with moving and getting organized and oriented to a new town along with getting settled in to the program. I have had several exams in this past week, a couple of quizzes and a physical diagnosis exam practical. All in all, it has been fantastic!
One thing to make certain that you do once you begin to feel the proverbial "drinking from the fire hose" effect of your program is to be sure to study some every day. The amount of information given to you via powerpoints is enormous and studying/cramming on the day before an exam is not going to cut it! Absorbing the info a bit everyday will definitely help to carve in into your brain and the ability to recall some of the minute details becomes much easier. Study habits from undergrad should be re-evaluated and adjusted for the onslaught. ANother wonderful thing we having going for us is the varied group of students. There are people from every walk of life and with many different experiences and strengths. This class has done so much to help each other. There are the study groups that have formed and certainly help to generate the critical thinking skills but those who are strong in particular areas are freely willing to expound on difficult subjects to assist their fellow classmates. Students make up their own study guides and distribute them through email to ALL classmates without leaving anyone out. Although each person may receive several different guides for a class, the repetitive reviews again help to remember everything. Love your classmates!
In actuality, the first week of the program was all orientation so it has really been just three weeks of real info. Much of the first classes were review from many of the pre-req courses with a lot more info and details. We currently have classes in Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacodynamics along with Physical Examination and Diagnosis class and lab and a 1 credit course in Intro to PA Profession (final exam on Monday). Upcoming classes this semester include Ethics, Cultural Issues, History Taking, Fund. of Imaging,and Genetics. So it is a full semester but the real meat and potatoes of the program will come in the fall/winter semester. Kinda scary!!!
Let's see how it goes!!
Looking forward to filling all my brain wrinkles with knowledge as my niece once said!
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Friday, June 5, 2009
1st Days of School!
Sorry I have not updated the blog in a while! I have been BUSY!!!!
Today marks the end of the first week of school. There are other things I was to say about the time in between acceptance and starting the program but I want to write about this first week while it is fresh in my mind and the emotions are still raw!
Last Friday, a week ago we had the first introduction to our program. It was a half day event where we were allowed to bring a guest or two to the "Opening Ceremonies." I did not have anyone with me but many did not as they are not from the area and did not have any family around. The week that followed beginning on Monday was a flurry of activities with a lot of hurry up and wait in between but, IT WAS FANTASTIC!!!
Just getting to know the faculty and my classmates was a very nice experience. We also had a lot of support and advice from the previous class, Class of 2010. They are very helpful and had organized various activities for our class. I wrote a note on the PA Forum about the weeks activities and am copying it below.
I did not feel any nervousness or anxiety...but many of my classmates expressed their stress. It was not that bad for me but everyone is different.
At today's BBQ the previous class had organized a few activities such as the name game where we had to break into groups and memorize the names, first and last and the place of birth of 8 other class members of their choice. It was actually quite fun! And of course we had the obligatory scavenger hunt; all those young'uns can run much faster than me!! LOL... But I did win the whole class name challenge! I was the only one who named every single class member first and last name...correctly! 64 of them!! Another classmate did similar but only with first names.
So it was fun!!! But here is the breakdown of the week...Monday we begin "real" classes and have a full schedule! Our first real exam on material learned in the course is actually one week from Monday! Will post how that goes!!!
From my post on the PA forum:
We start everyday at 7:30am and go till 4:30pm more or less...
Some other statistics for our class were less than 8% accepted from all applications. There are quite a few ex military so that is a good thing!!
Friday - "Opening Ceremonies" with the various speakers from the top down. Interesting to learn about everyone's backgrounds and such, great buffet lunch. (was half day)
Monday - Intro to the program, review of the student handbook for the school and program, paperwork to be signed, policies and procedures, discussion on professional behavior and ethics, team building exercises. Buddy assignments with the current class and lunch with your buddy. (Full Day)
Tuesday - Team Building, was neat...we broke into groups of 8 and had to come up with a Public Service Announcement skit that deals with the question "what is a PA?" to be filmed tomorrow. Tutorials about the library, WebCT, testing etc...Public Safety discussion with campus security, discussion of proper academic writing/plagiarism etc...and Master's/Graduate project thesis...Meeting with individual academic advisors as assigned (So this was a full day)
Wednesday - PSA Group presentations that were filmed - very hilarious!! and very creative crowd we have! Myers Briggs personality test and another similar one too...Welch Allyn Medical equipment fair...said we could go home (11:00am) if we were all set with our stuff already...but the rep probably was unhappy that very few showed up...Many had already done a huge group order from Steeles that I organized over a month ago...
Thursday - Tomorrow we have an orientation to our PD lab, results of our personality tests, Library intro and orientation to the VH dissector software.
Friday - Our first "dress down" day with $3 donation to do so going towards our class' funds...Exam!! First test on Medical terminology that we have been doing self paced before the program start...then discussion on Student Society, Student Government, other opportunities then some fun...Student/Faculty BBQ with activities like scavenger hunt, etc...so Half day more or less...and the current class has organized a get together for us at a apt complex nearby with pool party and adult beverages...etc...nice people!!
THENNNNNNNNNNN...
Monday we begin to study and start the real stuff...therefore, no firehose!!! YET!!!! No more half days...
End of copy from the post!!
Today marks the end of the first week of school. There are other things I was to say about the time in between acceptance and starting the program but I want to write about this first week while it is fresh in my mind and the emotions are still raw!
Last Friday, a week ago we had the first introduction to our program. It was a half day event where we were allowed to bring a guest or two to the "Opening Ceremonies." I did not have anyone with me but many did not as they are not from the area and did not have any family around. The week that followed beginning on Monday was a flurry of activities with a lot of hurry up and wait in between but, IT WAS FANTASTIC!!!
Just getting to know the faculty and my classmates was a very nice experience. We also had a lot of support and advice from the previous class, Class of 2010. They are very helpful and had organized various activities for our class. I wrote a note on the PA Forum about the weeks activities and am copying it below.
I did not feel any nervousness or anxiety...but many of my classmates expressed their stress. It was not that bad for me but everyone is different.
At today's BBQ the previous class had organized a few activities such as the name game where we had to break into groups and memorize the names, first and last and the place of birth of 8 other class members of their choice. It was actually quite fun! And of course we had the obligatory scavenger hunt; all those young'uns can run much faster than me!! LOL... But I did win the whole class name challenge! I was the only one who named every single class member first and last name...correctly! 64 of them!! Another classmate did similar but only with first names.
So it was fun!!! But here is the breakdown of the week...Monday we begin "real" classes and have a full schedule! Our first real exam on material learned in the course is actually one week from Monday! Will post how that goes!!!
From my post on the PA forum:
We start everyday at 7:30am and go till 4:30pm more or less...
Some other statistics for our class were less than 8% accepted from all applications. There are quite a few ex military so that is a good thing!!
Friday - "Opening Ceremonies" with the various speakers from the top down. Interesting to learn about everyone's backgrounds and such, great buffet lunch. (was half day)
Monday - Intro to the program, review of the student handbook for the school and program, paperwork to be signed, policies and procedures, discussion on professional behavior and ethics, team building exercises. Buddy assignments with the current class and lunch with your buddy. (Full Day)
Tuesday - Team Building, was neat...we broke into groups of 8 and had to come up with a Public Service Announcement skit that deals with the question "what is a PA?" to be filmed tomorrow. Tutorials about the library, WebCT, testing etc...Public Safety discussion with campus security, discussion of proper academic writing/plagiarism etc...and Master's/Graduate project thesis...Meeting with individual academic advisors as assigned (So this was a full day)
Wednesday - PSA Group presentations that were filmed - very hilarious!! and very creative crowd we have! Myers Briggs personality test and another similar one too...Welch Allyn Medical equipment fair...said we could go home (11:00am) if we were all set with our stuff already...but the rep probably was unhappy that very few showed up...Many had already done a huge group order from Steeles that I organized over a month ago...
Thursday - Tomorrow we have an orientation to our PD lab, results of our personality tests, Library intro and orientation to the VH dissector software.
Friday - Our first "dress down" day with $3 donation to do so going towards our class' funds...Exam!! First test on Medical terminology that we have been doing self paced before the program start...then discussion on Student Society, Student Government, other opportunities then some fun...Student/Faculty BBQ with activities like scavenger hunt, etc...so Half day more or less...and the current class has organized a get together for us at a apt complex nearby with pool party and adult beverages...etc...nice people!!
THENNNNNNNNNNN...
Monday we begin to study and start the real stuff...therefore, no firehose!!! YET!!!! No more half days...
End of copy from the post!!
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